(Yicai) July 21 -- China’s booming online literature industry is reaching an increasing number of readers abroad, according to a new report, with the overseas market worth more than CNY5 billion (USD690 million) last year.

China’s online literature sector attracted more than 350 million readers and nurtured 460,000 web writers across more than 200 countries and regions in 2024, the China internet development report published by the China Internet Network Information Center showed today. Japan saw user numbers surge 180 percent, making it the fastest‑growing market.

Online literature covers a number of genres, with science fiction being particularly popular. The novels can be read easily via smartphones, and the market has grown rapidly in the last decade, with a sharp rise in the number of both authors and readers.

The report also noted that in the first half of this year, China’s digital entertainment sector continued exporting quality content globally and deepening integration with offline cultural and tourism markets, injecting fresh momentum into China’s cultural tourism market.

The China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association also released a report last week saying that revenue in China’s online literature market reached CNY49.5 billion (USD6.9 billion) last year, a jump of 29 percent.

The total number of literary works published online hit 42.1 million at the end of 2024, an 11 percent annual increase, while the domestic user base rose 16 percent to a record 638 million, the report said.

China’s online literature industry earned CNY4.82 billion from overseas last year, an 11 percent increase, while exporting about 750,000 works, up 7.9 percent on 2023, per the report.

Editor: Tom Litting